


Home Coming and Goings

by mage_989



Category: Liberty's Kids
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Gen, Goodbyes, Historical Inaccuracy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-07-25
Packaged: 2018-12-06 17:19:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11605281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mage_989/pseuds/mage_989
Summary: The year is 1784.  Lafayette visits Mount Vernon and that lets him say both hello and goodbye.





	Home Coming and Goings

**Author's Note:**

> Historical accuracy is bent slightly for an epilogue for the episode ‘Going Home’ with a few details yanked from the 1984 TV movie George Washington and its sequel.

Nelly smoothed down her dress as she got up to look out the window at the sound of approaching hooves. George Washington looked at his granddaughter with soft eyes. She reminded him so much of Patsy. 

“Grand-papa, your friend is here.”

“What makes you so sure, Nelly?”

“Because he just got out of the carriage and is running up here.”

It was Gilbert all right and George went out to meet him.

“Your Excellency!”

“Gilbert, don’t call me that I am retired. Omph!”

He gasped as Gilbert hugged him hard 

“I don’t care.”

With a rare smile George returned his affection. 

“I’ve missed you too.”

The coach finished making its way up to the house and it was then that George could see a young boy sitting inside. 

“Are you going to introduce us?” he asked.

“Oh, of course where are my manners.”

Gilbert helped the young one down from the carriage and straightened his coat.

“Your Excellency, may I introduce my son, Georges Washington Lafayette.”

The boy bowed to him graciously.

“I am honoured, Gilbert, and humbled to be in the presence of such a fine young gentleman.”

They went inside were introduced to Nelly and her brother. For Gilbert it was amazing to see Washington as a man not a solider; as a farmer instead of a general. 

As a grandfather. 

It was a stark reminder of just how much older Washington was than him. His own children were still so young and his adopted father was not. 

It led Gilbert to the melancholy thought that he may never see him again after this visit.

That thought never really left him over the ten days that followed and it seemed Washington had thought of such things too. As a letter arrived shortly after Gilbert left Mount Vernon saying how Washington had watched him leave for a long time, how much he meant to him, and how much he too was going to miss him. As he read the letter over again and looked over at his son who slept soundly on the nearby bed Gilbert realized that he had another tie to family here in America that he could not leave behind. 

***

Ben Franklin stood on the dock that had so recently been a place to rejoice at being home, and now it was a place of parting once again.

He hugged Henri tightly.

“When I caught sight of all of you after so much time away I never thought I would be saying goodbye again so soon.”

Henri blinked back tears. “I will write to you-all of you.”

“Be sure to address anything to the Gazette to James. He’s the proprietor of that establishment now.”

“D-Doctor Franklin, what-what are you saying?” James stammered in shock.

“We have laid the foundation for a great nation to be built, but now it is time to pass the torch to the young to carry on in our place.”

“Doctor Franklin, you can’t-”

Ben put a hand on his shoulder.

“I am far too old to be told what I can and cannot do. You have grown into a fine man, James, and the Gazette could not be in better hands.”

“I-I don’t know what to say.”

Sarah put her hand on his other shoulder. “Congratulations, James, You have your newspaper.”

He covered her hand with his.

“It won’t be the same without you.”

He knew that back at the Gazette her bags were being packed for the journey to the Ohio frontier.

“I’ll be back. After all someone has to edit the paper so people can understand it.”

James laughed at the slight in good humour and then sighed. “I know but…” he stepped forward and reached his other hand up to her neck, gently holding her locket in his fingers. “Promise me there won’t be anyone else until then.”

“Oh, James.”

She kissed him and Henri rolled his eyes at the spectacle. “Took them long enough.”

Sarah broke away from James and hugged Henri tightly. 

“Be well and be safe,” she said.

Gilbert turned to Moses. “When you open your school, Moses, be sure to write to me. I meant what I said about helping abolish slavery in France’s colonies and I want people to know where they can go for help once they are free.”

“Of course.”

He nodded and then moved to Ben.

“It has been an honour, Doctor Franklin.”

“The honour is mine. I know you’ve heard this before, Marquis, but thank you for everything you’ve done for us. I don’t believe this new nation would have come about without your help.”

“Thank you, but I only did what was necessary for the cause of liberty. Farewell, my dear friends, I will miss you and think of you always.”

Gilbert and Henri stayed on the dock until the last possible moment amid hugs and tears. And when their ship set out to sea they watched for a long time as their adopted nation faded into the distance.

The End


End file.
